New second generation Dirac Live

[michael123]

2 minutes ago, Frans said:

I looked today at the Dirac website, and there is still only the NAD version of the new Dirac live software. When will the standalone Dirac Live 2.0 version be available? Meanwhile it takes a very long time for us before we can use the new Dirac!!! Does anyone know when the new Dirac is ready?

 

Dirac Live is the same component for both OEM and PC setups

The difference is in the Processor component, which is in Beta stage

 

 

 

[michael123]

For those who use Dirac 2.0: experienced something strange - it was actually very bad, and strange as I used for the lack of issues in this domain

 

First, I measured 'Sofa' setting, and got focus moved heavily to the left channel. Then I thought something with the measurements points, and measured 'Chair'. Same result - either left channel emphasized, or right - if I swap the measurements points

 

Real disaster! What went wrong?

 

Same microphone, same version produced fine results in other system

 

The difference is that I used 'DirectSound', could not use anything else, did not produce any sound. First used 96Khz, then repeated with 48KHz -- no change apparently

[michael123]

On 1/20/2019 at 7:19 PM, SteveS1 said:

 

I'm testing the new Dirac Live Processor as plug in for Audirvana on a Mac with similar results to those you describe - a collapsed image to one side.  Underneath the obvious problem with image, there seems to be a good sound trying to get out.  I have managed to create a Sofa Focus project/filter after quite a lot of messing about.

 

First, the new look and layout is a big disappointment to me.  The original is clear and intuitive even if you don't read the notes.  This one is miles away from that.  Essential features are hidden and simple tasks unclear.  The colour combination doesn't help, nor do the annoying pop-up confirmation messages which quickly stack up and obscure the next actions.  The design is a total mess compared to the previous one.  A classic case of not needing to fix something that wasn't broken.

 

All that's needed here is to introduce the new measurement patterns and algorithms to the already excellent GUI.

 

I haven't uninstalled my Dirac Live Studio thank goodness.  Hope this helps Flavio, and if there is another feedback mechanism for details I'm happy to help.

 

 

 

Popups indeed very annoying, you need to keep closing them all the time 😞

 

Hopefully sound issues will be fixed for next beta

[michael123]

3 minutes ago, Montanari said:

is it also with the vst plugin that doesn t work in roon?

It is with the VST plugin that works very stable in JRiver

[michael123]

What is your guys impression so far from the new alpha version?

[michael123]

13 minutes ago, shinyc said:

My setup and measurement experience was a much more pleasant one. I installed the Dirac Live Calibration Tool and Processor on my Windows 10 laptop. Measurement was made without a single hiccup. I used "chair" mode (9 measuring points). Then, I save the result to a dirac project file. Next, I installed the same tools on a WS2019 core machine (control PC). I had to install v++ redistribution files before I can run the tools. I copied the save project file to the WS2019 machine and created a few filters with different target curves. I created 3 filters with no ill or side effects. I installed both 32bit and 64bit version of the Dirac Live Processor. I used foobar2000 to host the Dirac VST (all 32bits) on the WS2019 machine. One hiccup (finally). If I touch or change any control on the Dirac VST while hosted by foobar2000, it gets easily crashed. Many times I had to reinstall foobar2000 again because foobar also crashes when launched. I could have reset the config for the VST component to recover from it. So if I want to change filter, I launch standalone version of the Dirac Live Processor and make the change so I do not have to touch the VST control while being hosted by foobar. When I am creating new filters, I need the 64bit version of both Dirac Live Calibration Tool AND Processor (That's why I installed both 32bit and 64 bit DLP).

 

My playback chain looks like this:

 

Roon(LMS) => squeeze2upnp bridge => foobar2000 => jplay femto (control PC) => jplay femto (audio pc) => dac

 

I think I am into my sencond week. I must say SQ change is similar to that of v1.1's. I am trying with a speaker pair which exhibits rather flat feq characteristics to begin with so the dirac effect is not so pronounce. Vocal is quite 3d. HF is better tamed. Transparency is much improved. Compare to femto server, though, dirac seems missing some vitality, less dynamic, calmer. Jplay femto server is really vivid, pristine sounding. But I doubt femto server is as neutral as dirac corrected sound. I immediately notice instrument sounds right (neutral) when dirac is in place especially in orchestral music but excitement is something else. Let's wait for the higher sample rate version and see if finesse improves if not the excitement.

 

Thanks!

What settings did you use during the measurements? (aka DiractSound vs ASIO vs.. sampling rate ..)

[michael123]

1 minute ago, shinyc said:

Hi @flak,

 

I am hearing what appears to be clipping distortion. In v1.x, there was a slider control where you can control attenuation level with default value of -8dB if I recall correctly. I thought the new version was doing it automatically but apparently not.

 

I am also noticing I get no response when I register anomalies found while running this alpha program to your support site. Should I keep registering these findings to your support site? Or just post them here.

 

 

 

Please open a ticket.

That's the issue I also mentioned to Dirac.

It is not just this, but there is no visual indicator. 

[michael123]

Just now, TommyCat said:

I’ve stepped away from all the updates waiting for the alpha version with the bugs worked out and sampling rates beyond 48 kHz .

Are we there yet? 

 

Same place. Still with bugs, and no high-res.

No progress and no release schedule.

😂

 

[michael123]

Before that, when we will have a new beta, supporting high-rez rates?

[michael123]

1 minute ago, shinyc said:

Is anyone successful running the new beta? Mine(windows version) says "The Dirac Live Processor cannot be used as a recording device". 

 

You need to launch processor first, and from there create a new filter.

 

Yes, sounds fantastic.

 

Found 4 minor bugs though.

 

Dirac added also attenuation to VST as I asked, however clipping indicator still missing 😞

[michael123]

Just now, shinyc said:

 

Great. Were you able (if you tried) to run VST version of Dirac Live Processor (vs Standalone version of DLP)? 

 

Yes, that's what I am talking about.

It is running as a VST inside JRiver 25 (version 1, version 3 is not supported) . Not sure there is a standalone version anymore (and I don't miss it)

 

[michael123]

Just now, shinyc said:

Oh, I meant "did you invoke dirac live (measurement program) from jriver hosted vst (rather than first running "diracliveprocessor.exe").

 

Not, that's not how it is supposed to work.

Run Dirac Processor from Windows Explorer, then click on Audio Settings and define devices. After that - create a new filter, which will spawn DiracLive

[michael123]

2 minutes ago, shinyc said:

According to the instruction (per below) that came with the latest beta, I seems one can do the measurement inline while plugged in inside the host.

 

 

This way, I do not have to select an output manually. DLP output is natually routed to the host and to the host's output, whatever that may be. That was true in Dirac Studio version (1.0 vst).

 

 

Ahh, I just continued to do what I did with all previous betas

[michael123]

Just now, shinyc said:

 

I opened a support ticket on this.  

 

Did you select your microphone as a recording device?

[michael123]

3 minutes ago, DSD256 said:

There's so much unclear in the software.
At Dirac 1 you could click on 44,1 48 88,2 96 ...192khz etc.
At the end everything could be played in Audirvana up to 192khz. I ha I only had to do one measurement.
Now with Dirac 2 there is obviously no more this dialogue.
I made a measurement with 44,1khz. In Audirvana
therefore only 44,1khz material is processed. Anything above this is not machined.
Do I have to make a new measurement for each sampling rate, or do we get the dialog back.
If I now make a measurement at 96khz, the 44.1 kHz will not be processed.
That was much better solved in Dirac 1.
or did I overlook something?

 

 

You you need to downsample everything higher than 96Khz to 96Khz, rates lower stay the same - and pass it to Dirac processor

[michael123]

@shinycDirac wrote this beta supports 96 KHz (previous didn't)

[michael123]

Dirac V2 sounds different: it is fluid, as others may say very 'analogue sound'. What I probably less like, is that the voice is now moved bit backwards, and the focus is bit smeared -- not very well-defined. 

[michael123]

3 minutes ago, shinyc said:

 

Thank you for your kind info. Out of curiosity, I tried 192khz source and my dac processes at 192khz. Strange to say the least. 

 

No clue what the VST is doing in this case, that's Flavio to comment..

[michael123]

1 hour ago, SteveS1 said:

Anyone know if the second Beta improvements are in the measurement, the filter calculation or the playback engine?

 

Hard to say, VST definitely is more stable.

I am not so sure regarding focus - I think in V1 it was more defined. Also, the midrange image was more forward then, which I like more.

 

[michael123]

On 7/23/2019 at 5:11 AM, DSD256 said:

 

thanks...i thought that it should be that way....but...version 1.x so far is more clear in this aspect

because one measurement is responsible for sampling rates from 44,1 to 192khz.

This beta/alpha works only in the sampling rate selected in processor. 

This beta/alpha does not work with umik-1 on macbook pro retina...no way.... No mic signal at all.

version before works....did a successful measurement with that version.

Sounds pretty cool...although only 44.1khz worked.

 

Did a measurement dirac supposes, 9 points with math audio room eq...

sounds pretty nice and supports 44,1-192khz and works audible very convincing!

 

when will dirac offer a working version? announced more than a year ago...

 

We are are now on mojave/win10. Dirac 2.x does not work on mac and not on win10.

 

i understand that deals with mercedes Benz and other hardware cooperations

are way cooler and more efficient...so...lets be honest:

 

when we will see a working version?

 

 

 

 

 

I think in V2 as well, one measurement holds for all sampling rates. The limit of 96Khz goes for the playback (VST)

I hope it will support all sampling rates, all the way to 384KHz my JRiver works with.

 

I work with Windows 10 though, from what you write it seems that Dirac for Mac is till not baked

 

My new Volvo XC40 with harman kardon has Dirac 🙂, but I don't know what it does there. 

 

 

 

[michael123]

1 hour ago, michael123 said:

 

Hard to say, VST definitely is more stable.

I am not so sure regarding focus - I think in V1 it was more defined. Also, the midrange image was more forward then, which I like more.

 

 

Performed now more A/B listening (Dirac V2 vs pure; not V1 - I don't have it installed for more than a year) - it does not modify sound signature, but rather surgically fixes specific issues.

[michael123]

@flakFlavio, what is the most recent version of processor for Win64? Still 0.9.23?

[michael123]

14 minutes ago, flak said:

@whoareyou

 

we now have a new version of the DiracLiveProcessor that you might check for the headroom adjustment.

The ”Measure” tab has been removed and Dirac Live no longer should be invoked via the processor, instead it can be opened separately and Dirac Live Processor will appear as a device to be selected when Dirac Live will be launched.

Also VU-meters and clipping indicators have been added.

 

Available as usual on request from here: http://helpdesk.dirac.se/

 

Thanks, Flavio

 

Wow, Flavio

Finally!!!

[michael123]

@flak Flavio, could you please post release notes for this beta? 

[michael123]

@flakFlavio, could you please post release notes somewhere? As a beta tester, that's quite common..